When we think of the folks that serve in the United States Forest Service most of us have nothing but admiration for their service and the care they take to protect and manage our National Treasures, our Public Lands designated as National Forests.  Pictured above in the photograph is Blue Lakes, Colorado in the Uncompahgre National Forest.

As in recent decades, we the citizens of this great country have observed the rise of government over-reach, restrictions on our civil liberties, and taxation without representation by many government entities.  The United States Forest Service (USFS) would be the last place to imagine this type of misconduct would occur where a trusted Institution is engaging in unconstitutional policy and behavior. Sadly, leadership in the Uncompahgre National Forest is doing just that.

Leadership for this forest region is initiating a first ever day-use permit system. So what does this mean to American citizens?  First, this should not be confused with our National Parks such as the Grand Canyon that operate under different rules and regulations as a Park.

In 1891 Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act setting aside lands in the West as public lands, called “forest reserves” (AKA National Forests).  The Supreme Court has long held that every free citizen of the United States can move without restrictions on public property, in the most basic form (walking/hiking/running) free from taxation and coercion by public officials.

A day-use permit is a permit that you must purchase in advance to enter the National Forest and that is a form of government taxation, period. The USFS is not a tax collection agency; that is neither their mission nor their purpose. Collecting taxes is the job of the IRS.

This hiking fee (taxation) should not be confused with a campground fee paid at a National Forest. With shrinking budgets, the USFS has had to adapt and collect fees for maintaining campgrounds that provide parking, toilet facilities, and cooking. These fees cover the cost of maintenance and trash removal.  The proposed hiking fee, however, does not offer any of this. The proposed day-use permit offers NO SERVICES whatsoever. It is just going to be a new hiking fee, aka taxation, without representation.

This new "hiking fee" the leadership of the Uncompahgre National Forest is set to impose upon United States Citizens is actually prohibited by the 14th Amendment which allows citizens to travel freely without taxation. For this same reason, we are not required to stop at county or state lines while traveling around the country to pay a toll fee. The USFS is grossly overreaching its authority and is completely straying from its mission.

Sadly, the Blue Lakes area in Colorado is in need of management due to neglect, and the current leadership appears to be incapable of implementing legal and reasonable measures.  Several reasonable solutions have been submitted to the USFS to sustain this beautiful area for generations that follow and most notably WITHOUT taxation. Efforts will continue toward a more equitable solution that the USFS can implement.

Meanwhile, the newly proposed unconstitutional day-use hiking permit that the USFS is trying to adopt will discriminate against many United States citizens. Sooner or later, only a few elitists will have access to these areas meant to be enjoyed by everyone. The USFS seems to have forgotten that these are public lands. The USFS does not own these lands, rather they manage them.

Please sign this petition for promoting responsible and legal policy regarding our national treasures.  Tell the USFS no taxation without representation. Let's take a stand now; if leadership can't implement a legal, moral, and constitutional protected policy, then the leadership needs to be replaced.

Thank you for reading and Thank you for your support.